Crossing Dimensions
by NeverLookBackSamurai
Summary: Three siblings with unusual powers born of the twentyfirst century. Seven men of honor and virtue in a different world. An unexplainable event has brought them together. Will they be able to survive? Many different pairings. DISCONTINUED FOR NOW. Redone.
1. Home

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. I only own Aya Mori, her family, and friends. If I did own Samurai 7, Heihachi would be mine, Shichiroji would be Yukino's, Katsushiro and Kirara would be together, as would Kiku and Komachi, and Kyuzo and Kambei would be thrown to the masses of fan girls out there. XD

A/N: Odd place for A/N, I know. But I have seen more episodes and I am getting better at writing, so this story should be better than Love Over A Rice Ball.

It was early afternoon, and Aya Mori was lying on the floor in her brothers' room watching Samurai 7. For a fifteen-year-old, she was rather tall and slender for her age. Her dark brown eyes shone with a youthful light in her kind round face. Yet, even her brothers could sense that underneath her soft-spoken, kind exterior, inside she was constantly analyzing details and thinking about things that her brothers couldn't even begin to fathom.

"Wouldn't it be cool if we could somehow go into the world of Samurai 7 and meet Kambei and everyone else? We could help them fight and stuff," her nine-year-old brother, Kai, said. He, too, had the same bright eyes as his sister. But he had dark black hair instead of the radiant light brown hair Aya had.

"I could be like Kyuzo and wield two swords! Akio could be…hmm…Maybe Katsushiro! And… and, you could be Heihachi or Shichiroji, Aya!" he shouted, running around the room, swinging a pair of plastic hangers. Aya drew her fingers through her shoulder-length brown hair and sighed.

"That'll never happen," she thought, "This is the twenty-first century for cryin' out loud. Samurai 7 takes place in another dimension entirely. Doesn't it? Still, it would be fun if we could go there…"

"Yo, Aya, Kai," said Aya's thirteen-year-old brother, Akio, coming into the room. "What's up?" Aya barely gave him a glance before returning her gaze to the television. Akio always had to ask the most obvious questions. Actually, he just loved to ask questions. And that's what annoyed Aya about her brother the most.

"Watching Samurai 7, what does it look like?" Aya replied. Akio shrugged and sat on the floor next to Aya while Kai jumped around the room.

"Hey, Kyuzo wanna-be. Sit-down and watch. You're giving me a headache," Akio said, yanking a hanger out of Kai's hand.

"Aww… you're so mean Akio," Kai said, pulling Akio's straight, shoulder-length brown hair. Akio merely ignored him.

"You're just like Kyuzo. Always keep your feelings to yourself. Except when you ask questions," Kai said, plopping down next to his brother.

"Or when he gets ticked," Aya added, not looking at them. Akio let this go and the argument dropped. All three siblings watched the TV, but only Kai and Akio's attention was avid.

"… I know what you're thinking," Heihachi said on the TV, "Chopping wood with my sword? Hardly lives up to the whole samurai tradition…" Aya yawned. She had seen this episode at least a dozen times and even though Heihachi was one of her favorite characters out of the seven, she was getting tired of seeing him in this episode. Rolling over, Aya closed her eyes and laced her fingers behind her head.

"If only we could meet in dreams… My three favorite samurai…" she thought, sighing. Suddenly, Aya's eyes snapped open when she heard Kai and Akio yell. She whipped her head around in time to see a bright flash of light envelope her brothers. When the flash disappeared, they were nowhere to be seen.

"KAI! AKIO!" she screamed leaping up. The light seemed to be reaching out to her and even though she backed against the far wall, it still managed to wrap itself around her too. Shielding her eyes, Aya opened her mouth and screamed. Abruptly, everything within her vision went black.


	2. Awakening With The Pendants

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. I only own Aya, her family, and friends.

**Chapter dedicated to Paris. Everyone's writing is their own, so yours is unique.**

"Aya! Aya, wake up!" Two voices pushed themselves into Aya's darkened mind. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see Akio and Kai looking bewildered at her.

"Uh? … Kai? Akio? Didn't you disappear? What happened…?" She sat up, looking around with wide eyes. Everywhere she looked, there were strangely dressed people: moving robots, hundreds of people walking by in brightly colored kimonos, men in armor, and food vendors in stalls by the side of the road. Aya's mouth dropped open as she saw the towering stone walkways supported by wrought-iron pillars and the millions of people going about their daily business. Closing her mouth as well as her eyes, Aya thought hard.

"This can't be happening… I'm not where I think I am… This is only a dream, a good dream, but only a dream…" She pinched and slapped herself hard, but when she opened her eyes again, she was still sitting on the ground of a brightly lit alley between two shops.

"Um… Aya? You do know where we are right?" Akio said, holding onto a scared Kai, who was clinging to his sleeve like a burr. Aya stood up on wobbly legs and stared at the scene in front of her with amazement.

"It's… Kougakyo," she breathed. Kai and Akio's mouths dropped open.

"KOUGAKYO! But that's in Samurai 7 isn't it!" Aya nodded, still in a daze.

"Um… Sister…" Kai said, hesitantly. Akio and Aya looked immediately at their little brother, who was pulling something out of his T-shirt. Both bent closer to get a better look. They saw that it was a brightly glowing green pendant. It was shaped like a teardrop and had green glittering pieces of metal floating in it. There was also a tiny flask of clear liquid dangling next to the teardrop pendant. Suddenly, a bright light shone from under Akio's shirt. He reached into his shirt and pulled out an identical glowing pendant. Only his was red and had a shell carved into the shape of a phoenix.

"Sister, do you have one?" Kai asked, clutching the pendant to his chest. Aya felt her neck and found that there was a leather cord around her neck. Carefully, she drew out a clear pendant. Looking at it, Aya could see that every few seconds, the water and metal within became dark as night, like the way a puddle of water will become dark if dirt is disturbed in it. On either side of the clear pendant was a small white feather.

"What does this mean?" Akio breathed, touching the small shell-phoenix. Aya shook her head and replaced her necklace.

"I have no idea. But you remember who we have to find in order to see the samurai right?" She asked, bending down so Kai could get on her back. Akio nodded.

"Masamune. We were watching the episode where Gorobei met Heihachi right?"

"Mmm." Aya replied. "Akio, make sure you stay right by my side. And we all remember our martial arts in case somebody attacks us, right?" He nodded and she could feel Kai nodding. She took a deep breath and started walking to the nearest food vendor.

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A/N: So. Is it better than Love Over A Rice Ball? All flames are welcome. I don't mind.


	3. Familiar Faces

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. I only own Aya, her family, and friends.

Finding Masamune was more difficult than it seemed. Both Aya and Akio had walked around all afternoon, asking at least seven people each, but they had only received vague answers such as, "He's around," and, "What would you three want with a mechanic like him?" Kai, on the other hand, had peacefully fallen asleep on Aya's shoulder.

"At least he gets to rest," Akio complained, massaging his sore feet while he and Aya sat by the roadside. Aya was tired as well, but she merely nodded.

"Check to see if that pendant is still on him," she said, catching her breath. Akio put his hand on Kai's chest and nodded at the small protrusion at the front of his shirt. It flared bright green for a second, and then died down to nothingness. Aya absentmindedly fingered her pendant and it turned the color of the coming sunset. Akio cradled his brother's head in the crook of his elbow while inspecting his own glowing pendant.

"What do you think these necklaces mean?" he asked, sliding the pendant inside his shirt.

"I have no idea. But if you look at the shape, it looks almost exactly like Kirara's, don't you think?" she said, standing up. Akio nodded and Aya helped him rest Kai on his back. That done, they started walking again.

Soon, it was twilight, and a few shops were starting to close for the day. Aya was walking wearily with her head down, when Akio tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to a small teashop ahead of them. She nearly gave a start at the four people she saw: Katsushiro, Kambei, Kirara, and Rikichi. Her mind raced back to the episodes she'd seen.

"This is where the employee tells them about Heihachi, isn't it?" she thought. Her eyes widened as she saw Kambei swiftly pierce the stump of wood in front of him with a toothpick. Immediately, Akio moved closer to her, amazed that the man he'd only seen on television had just truly made the same movement in front of his eyes.

"Don't worry," she said softly, "Once they leave, we'll follow them back to Masamune." Akio nodded and Aya took Kai from him, as he had been carrying him all this time and needed a break. Kai shifted a little in his sleep as Aya slipped her little brother onto her back.

"Won't they sense we're following? I mean Katsushiro got that feeling when Kyuzo was following him. Isn't this essentially the same?" Akio asked, slowly walking with his sister as she followed the departing samurai and villagers.

"Yes. I'm sure they will sense it. But if they are that good, then maybe they will be able to sense that we aren't hostile," she replied, trying to hurry along with Akio while keeping an eye on the group ahead.

"If not, then we'll have to ask passersby again, right?" he asked. Aya nodded, hitching Kai up on her back.

"Either way," she thought hopefully, "We should be able to find Masamune before nightfall."

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A/N: I am so sorry that my chapters aren't longer. I am loaded down with schoolwork and the like. Therefore, I don't have much time left to myself. On the weekends I will try to write longer chapters, so keep watching!


	4. Savior

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. Neither do I own Ran, who I am using with the permission of Motokonobaka.

Aya, Akio and Kai were following the small group of four as best they could. Already, they had lost sight of them twice, and now they had fallen far behind. Aya was frustrated with herself.

"I am carrying a little, eighty-pound boy on my back, I have a pendant that I know nothing about, it's almost nighttime, and I am following four people who I have only seen on TV in a city I know nothing about!" she thought furiously. Akio looked at his sister with concern growing on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, and accidentally walked right into a person in front of him. Akio fell to the ground, rubbing his head. He looked up and immediately started to apologize.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!" he cried, standing up with his head bowed. The person he had run into turned so Aya could see them. She could see the person was tall and slender and looked to be about sixteen-years-old. The individual wore a black happi coat, faded black engineer jeans, combat boots and the white basket hat travelers wear. A white, fighter's _hachimaki_ (headband) peeked out from underneath the basket-hat, as well as a white ribbon that kept their long black hair in a high ponytail at the back of their head. Aya warily eyed the person's katana and boken at their waist, and when the person spoke, Aya could have sworn they were a young man.

"Heh, happens all the time, kid," they said. Akio's cheeks felt afire at his stupidity. Aya flinched as she heard the person's low, drawling voice. Suddenly, an idea came to her.

"Um, sir, could you be so kind as to tell us where the mechanic Masamune is?" she asked tentatively, not wanting to seem like an outsider. The person stared at her for a second, then burst out laughing. Aya couldn't see what was so funny, and she almost said so, but the stranger beat her to it.

"Girl, I'm not a guy," they said, stifling their laughter. Aya's patience was wearing thin, as she thought they needed to find Masamune and/or shelter before the night truly came. But she hazarded a second look at the stranger's face. A pair of black eyes shone with a calm light in her beautiful, softly rounded face.

"Hey, who's the pretty girl?" came a small, sleepy voice. Aya, Akio and the girl all looked at Kai on Aya's back, who had awoken when Akio cried out. A small smile turned the corners of the girl's mouth up, and her eyes reflected an almost wistful look. But in a second, it was gone.

"The name's Rangiku, Kotetsu. Ran for short. I know where Masamune is, and I'll help you find him. All right?" she asked. Aya nodded gratefully and bowed, as did Akio. Kai merely yawned and closed his eyes again. Aya briefly glanced at her brother, and saw him stealing a glance at Ran. She knew that look in his eye, and she rolled her eyes at it.

"Thank you, Ran."

"Hmm. No problem. And if you're tired, I can carry the kid," Ran said, briefly glancing at Aya, who looked exhausted. Aya shook her head.

"I couldn't ask you to. He's rather heavy," she replied, shifting Kai's weight on her shoulders. Ran shrugged and turned into a wide, deserted walkway that was made out of the same material as the houses on the left side. Aya and Akio perked up immediately as they recognized it: the way to Masamune's.

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A/N: Ok, on top of a heck of a lot of homework, I accidentally injured myself. So chapters will most likely come slower than they already are. My sincere apologies to all my readers, but I am working at it, never fear.


	5. Masamune and the Meeting

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. Neither do I own Ran, whom I am using with permission of Motokonobaka.

Aya thought that Ran was very kind in showing them the way to Masamune's.

"Well, she looks to be only a year older than me. Why shouldn't she be nice?" Aya thought to herself. Now, it was nighttime, and below, the streets of Kougakyo were brightly lit with glowing signs tempting patrons to enter shops to examine the wares. Aya and Akio both stifled enormous yawns. Ran looked at them with amusement.

"You do want to reach Masamune's right? He's really only five feet away. Or are you going to collapse already?" she said, hiding a smirk.

"You don't need to poke fun at us, Lady Ran," Aya said, vexed at Ran's tone. She and Akio silently walked on.

"They have spirit. I'll give them that," thought Ran, as she walked through the doorway ahead of the three siblings. Inside, there were so many mechanical parts covered with soot that Aya sneezed upon entry.

"I'm afraid you'll have to come back tomorrow," said a short man with an artificial eye. "I'm closed for the night." Ran rolled her eyes.

"These kids," she pointed to the exhausted Aya and Akio, "wanted to find you for some reason. I knew where you were, so I brought them."

"Masamune isn't the one we're here to see," Aya burst out.

"We want to see the samurai!" Kai yelled, now fully awake on Aya's back. Masamune's face immediately became suspicious.

"What would you three want with samurai here?" he asked.

"Masamune, what's all the commotion…" Suddenly, Heihachi, Gorobei, and Kikuchiyo appeared out of a back room. They eyed the four newcomers suspiciously. Aya's mouth dropped open as she saw them. Akio stared blankly, his eyes wide in his face. Only Ran induced any recognition.

"Ran! I didn't expect to see you here." Heihachi smiled at her.

"It's been awhile, Sensei," she said, bowing.

"Oh, cut that out. I only made you stronger didn't I?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Aya continued to stare at the two samurai, hardly able to believe her eyes.

"H-Heihachi…? Gorob-bei…? K-Kikuchiyo…?" she stammered. Immediately, their hands flew to their sword hilts.

"How do you know our names, girl?" Heihachi asked quietly. Aya could sense fear and caution behind his steely gaze. Shaking herself out of her daze, Aya regained her composure.

"It's a long story, sir," she said, blowing a few strands of hair out of her eyes, "And we'd rather not explain it until we are in the presence of Kambei and Kirara."

"Well, now you are." Aya, Akio, and Ran whirled around to see a man dressed in white with long, wavy brown hair that spilled over his shoulders. Behind him were Kirara, Rikichi and Katsushiro. Kai struggled to be free of Aya's grasp and she released him, causing him to drop to the floor.

"Kambei! Kirara! Katsushiro! Rikichi!" he cried, dancing in front of them. Kambei raised an eyebrow at Aya and Akio, who dropped to their knees out of sheer exhaustion and leaned against a pile of machines.

"Who are you children? You don't look like you're from around here," Kambei said.

"We're not. We have no idea how we got here. One minute, we were in our house watching TV, and the next we're waking up on the streets of Kougakyo. We're in an anime for cryin' out loud!" Akio shouted, wearily waving his arms.

"What's 'TV'?" came Katsushiro's voice as they all sat in a circle with the three siblings. Akio shook his head.

"You wouldn't understand. Well, maybe you would. It's like those electronic signs you have here that flash news bulletins and such," he said.

"Um… if you don't mind me asking, what are your names?" Kirara asked in a slightly timid voice.

"I'm Mori, Aya. Those are my brothers, Akio and Kai," she said, pointing at each of them in turn. Akio nodded and closed his eyes, obviously tired from walking all day. Kai plopped down next to him and cuddled up to his brother's shoulder.

"Well, then. How about you tell us how you happened to come here, Lady Aya?" Kambei asked. Sitting up straighter, Aya began to recount the details of how she and her _kyoudai_ happened to miraculously appear in Kougakyo.

"…And then Lady Ran showed us the way here," she finished. A long silence greeted the end of her story. Looking around the room, she could tell not a single one of the samurai believed her story. Only Kambei was deep in thought.

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Preview: Four youths are brought together by a great and ancient power. They soon discover a second purpose awaits them .


	6. Creator, Destroyer, Healer, Diviner

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. Neither do I own Ran, who I am using with the permission of Motokonobaka.

It was a young voice broke the silence.

"Hey, are you guys talking serious again?" A short brown-haired girl with huge, red doe eyes came into the room, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She went over to Kirara and sat in her lap.

"Nee-chan… who are these people?" she asked.

"We're trying to find out," Kirara replied. Suddenly, Aya's eyes snapped open as she saw a bright red light shine from where Akio was sitting. He was sitting stiffly as his pendant pulled him toward Kirara's dousing crystal. A green light shone from Kai's pendant and he was pulled forward as well.

"Sister! What's happening?" Akio asked, trying to quell the feeling of panic rising within him.

"Wha-? I don't know!" she said, an insistent pull coming from the cord on her neck. Kirara crawled forth as all four pendants joined in a circle. The remaining samurai, villagers and Masamune stared, their eyes wide. The light the four pendants created was so bright, that everyone had to cover their eyes. Abruptly, Kirara, Aya, Akio and Kai straightened and knelt bolt upright. Their eyes became glassy, their faces expressionless. A faint, golden mist formed above the four glowing pendants.

"Peace," came a feminine voice from the mist, "I am a Messenger from the goddess Amaterasu. The Lady Sun wishes to tell you the true identities of these four Deity Mediums." Every person in the room, including Kikuchiyo, was completely speechless.

"…Please tell us who they truly are, then," Kambei said, bowing his head toward the ball of mist. A slender thread of mist reached out and touched each of the four in turn.

"Lady Kirara, the Diviner. She is able to communicate with any water-dwelling creature. Naturally, her element is water.

"Kai-sama, the Healer. A single drop from the bottle of Divine Medicine he possesses will cure any ailments of a hundred men. The element he controls is air."

The Heavenly Being continued, "Akio-sama, the Destroyer. With the Phoenix as his loyal companion, he can move swifter than the eye can follow. Fire will be his vassal."

At last, the golden mist touched Aya's forehead. This time, the Messenger's voice was quiet, as though confiding a great secret.

"Lady Aya, the Creator. The two feathers she is adorned with represents her ability of flight. On a whim, she may give or take a Life. Light and Dark are her companions, for when her life is in danger, either one may make her entirely invisible. During that time, any thing she touches will become invisible as well. She can summon her astral form and enter people's minds by merely touching them.

"All four of these youths have more powers which they shall discover on their own. I have only told you the most important. While of course, you must protect all four of these Mediums, Aya is the one you must protect the most. For with her aid, you will win just about any battle. But should she perish," The Divine Spirit's voice became gravely serious, "any battle you wage will only end in failure. Heed the Great Lady Sun's words! Farewell, brave samurai…"

The ball of mist slowly faded, as did the Messenger's melodic voice. Katsushiro saw four pairs of eyes return to their brilliant light, and gently caught Kirara as she fell back towards him.

"Whoa!" Heihachi cried out as he caught Aya. Akio and Kai slumped down in the arms of Kikuchiyo and Kambei. The four other samurai looked at Kambei, their eyes questioning what their next move was. Kambei was thoughtful for a moment, then said,

"I think we should wait until they reawaken. Then we will keep moving. Tomorrow morning, Katsushiro, Heihachi, Kikuchiyo and I will go look for more samurai. Apparently, the Divine Messenger wished us to take these children with us, although I haven't the slightest idea why. Yet," he paused, looking down at the sleeping Kai in his lap, "with them, perhaps the coming war won't be as hopeless as it sounds."


	7. Changing Attire

CrssDimnsChp7: Changing Attire

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. Neither do I own Ran who I am using with the permission of Motokonobaka.

* * *

"Sleep now, good child…"

_Mother…?_

"Be calm… don't fear…"

_Where am I?_

"For I will keep you from harm…"

It's so dark… 

"Sleep, and dream now…"

What happened? 

"My little samurai…"

Mother's voice…? 

"Fly through the sky in your dream…"

"Mother…" Komachi looked at Aya's sleeping form on the straw mat and blinked. She had been singing a song her mother had sung to her and Kirara a long time ago when they had trouble sleeping. Just now Komachi heard the girl named Aya whisper.

"She misses her mother?" Komachi wondered. She watched as a pair of silent tears made their way down Aya's cheeks.

"I'd leave the girl alone, kid," Ran said from behind Komachi. She was leaning against the doorframe that led to the back of Masamune's shop.

"You heard what that so-called 'Divine Spirit' said about those three. Aya can kill you just by wishing you dead."

"That's not fair! I don't even know her. But she seems nice," Komachi said, crawling closer to the sleeping Aya. Ran rolled her eyes and walked outside. Gorobei nodded to her as he passed her to go inside and watch the child and three sleeping individuals. Now, it was mid-morning. Kambei, Kikuchiyo, Katsushiro, and Heihachi had gone to look for more samurai to recruit, leaving Gorobei, Rikichi, Komachi, Ran, and Masamune behind to look after the three children. Komachi yawned as Gorobei entered and sat next to her, watching Aya.

"Are they going to come with us?" Komachi asked the entertainer. He smiled and said,

"That's what Kambei said, although personally I don't like the idea of bringing three children into a war zone. Lady Aya doesn't look much older than Katsushiro and neither does Akio. Kai looks like he's your age, little one." Gorobei ruffled Komachi's hair and she glared at him.

"I'm only eight, and I'm going back into a 'war zone'. And I know that these three will help save our village. Sister said that even though they don't exactly have the smell of the battlefield, and she doesn't want to put them in danger, they do have extremely valuable powers that could help us!" she whispered, fixing her messed hair. Gorobei laughed quietly at the little girl's spirit. Then, his eyes snapped back onto the girl sleeping at Komachi's feet.

"Where am I?" Aya was awake now and looking around the room with a confused look on her face.

"You're in Masamune's dirty shop in Kougakyo!" Komachi cried, kneeling next to Aya.

"So it wasn't a dream…" Aya whispered, closing her eyes.

"Nope! So you better stop sleeping and get up! You're coming home with us!"

"What?" Aya's eyes flew open and she sat up, staring in disbelief at the little girl.

"Kambei-sama said that you and your brothers would be a good addition to our team," Gorobei said, "Lady Kirara was highly objective to the idea of involving children, but she also realized his decision could help raise the chances of saving her village. Not only that, but there are other children at the village who will be involved regardless whether they fight on the battlefield or not."

"I am willing to help. But as you can see," she said, eyeing the outfits of the little girl and tall man, "our clothing will draw much attention, and I'm sure you'd want us to blend in with the crowds right?"

"We already thought of that," Komachi said as she got up and bounded off towards a back room. When she came back, Masamune was with her, carrying a nondescript cloth bag. Aya's lifted an eyebrow as Komachi upturned the bag, and a heap of clothes fell out.

"Sister and I managed to find this stuff early this morning. She recovered much faster than you did," Komachi said, picking up a dark purple kimono and carrying it to Aya.

"Try it on! I think it would look great on you!" she said, nearly jumping with excitement. Aya stood up, looked at Komachi, then at Gorobei and Masamune. Getting the hint, they left the room. She sighed and said,

"All right, but don't look, okay?"

"Okay!" Komachi said. Aya turned around and quickly dressed in the kimono while Komachi turned around and covered her eyes. As Aya dressed, she realized the top was styled like Kirara's, showing her midriff, but the billowing sleeves were separated from the rest of the kimono, so that the top part was more like a tank top. The bottom half of the outfit consisted of a long, dark purple skirt sewn over a pair of clinging black pants. A pair of black boots completed the outfit.

"I'm done. You can look now Komachi," Aya said, putting her hands on her hips and smiling at the little girl.

"Wow! You look so pretty in that!" Komachi cried, running to Aya and hugging her legs. Aya's crystal flashed brightly for a moment, and then subsided as she knelt down and held the little girl.

"Don't worry. My brothers and I will help the samurai save your village. I promise to do everything I can for your cause," Aya whispered to her.

"Thank you," Komachi replied.

"Sister…?" Aya turned at the sound of Kai's disoriented voice. Akio was awake beside him, looking around in bewilderment.

"What is it?" she asked, kneeling beside them as Komachi stood beside her. Akio's eyes widened as he saw Komachi, and when he spoke, his voice came out as a whisper.

"It wasn't a dream…?" Smiling, Aya shook her head. She helped them both sit up and Komachi fished out some new clothes for them. Once again, Komachi turned around as Akio and Kai dressed. Akio wore a long, black hapi coat that was slashed at the hip, and leggings hemmed with wide red strips of satin-like fabric, and Kai was dressed in a similar forest green outfit with soft silver hems.

"You guys look like you're ready for battle," Komachi said, staring up at them in wonder. Aya laughed and leaned down to her.

"Honestly, we're not. We've never been in a real battle. We only practice certain things that will protect us if we ever get attacked," she said softly, pushing her hair behind her ears.

"Oh. So you're just like Katsu! Sister says he doesn't smell like battle, but I don't know what that means, so I just trust her," Komachi replied, "But I think you guys will do great!" At that moment, Gorobei came in with Masamune and Ran in tow.


	8. Weapons Bestowed

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. I only own Aya, her family, and friends. Neither do I own Ran, whom I am using with the permission of Motokonobaka

"Ah, at last you're awake," Gorobei said to the three siblings, "And now you won't attract so much attention. You three have good taste in clothes too." Aya looked at the ceiling of Masamune's shop and rolled her eyes. She hated it when people made comments about her clothes, good or bad.

"The others will be back soon, and Kambei-sama wanted us to find out your skills. How well can you handle a sword?" Gorobei asked Aya. She shrugged.

"My handling… Moderate. I'm much better with a long-range weapon though. I can handle a wooden staff pretty well. Or something that was similar to a sniper's weapon… All three of us have basic training in _kenjutsu _(the art of the sword)…" Aya trailed off. Gorobei looked at Akio and Kai.

"What about you two?"

"I can handle a single sword-length weapon or something similar…" Akio muttered, folding his arms in his sleeves.

"Ooh! I can handle two swords! I've been practicing so that way I can be like K-" Akio clapped his hand over Kai's mouth.

"Ku-so!" came the muffled ending of Kai's sentence.

"Never mind him. But yes, he can handle… two weapons at a time," Aya replied. Gorobei and Masamune looked at each other and nodded.

"Follow me," said Masamune, turning away toward the back of the shop. The _kyoudai_ and samurai followed. Outside, Masamune tossed a black metal staff to Aya, a blood red katana scabbard to Akio, and a pair of silver scabbards that contained two steel _wakizashi_ (short swords) to Kai. All three children stared at their new weapons with amazement.

"Can you two handle a dagger without a hilt?" Masamune asked Aya and Akio.

"More or less," they replied. They caught the pair of blue-sheathed _aikucchi_ that Masamune tossed to them. Then, remembering their manners, the three bowed deeply to Masamune.

"Endless thanks Masamune-san. But where did you find these?" Aya asked, straightening up. He shrugged.

"You never know what you might find in this scrap heap," he said, gesturing at the collection of assorted mechanical things in his shop.

Everyone laughed.

"You know, have you thought about how you three are going to get home?" Ran asked out of the blue. Aya felt like Ran had struck her. Home. She had forgotten about it since she found herself in Kougakyo. Now the memory of it made her heart ache. She looked over at her brothers examining their new weapons, and at Komachi, to whom Aya had made the promise to help her village. Shaking her head, Aya looked at Gorobei and Masamune with confident eyes.

"I- no- WE, will deal with that problem when it is imperative we go home," she said, slipping her new _aikucchi_ into her _obi_.

"Do you mind if I test this?" she asked. Masamune shook his head, and Aya gently touched a button. Out flashed an extension of the metal staff, along with two curved blades, one long, and the other, shorter one, near the base of the long blade. Akio and Kai stared at Aya.

"Sister! You got a _naginata_!" They yelled in amazement. Aya slowly fingered the cool, dark metal.

"I guess so," she breathed, her _naginata_ withdrawing. Suddenly, Ran snickered behind her.

"Taking three CHILDREN into battle? What was that old man thinking…" she said, referring to Kambei with an ironic smile and a slight shaking of her head.

"We may only be children, Lady Ran," Aya said, putting more emphasis on the 'lady' than was necessary, "But mere children can sometimes do what a full-grown adult cannot. Besides," she said, her tone growing warmer, "you're not much older than me, yourself, and already, you are a samurai." Now it was Ran who flinched like she'd been struck. She looked away from Aya's unyielding gaze that was filled with compassion, and stared at the floor instead.

"Thank you, once again, Masamune-san," Aya said, bowing one more time before she walked back inside with her _naginata_ in hand. Kai and Akio followed her, slipping their weapons into their _obis_. Just before she got to the doorway, Aya gently touched Ran's shoulder, remembering a dream she'd had while Amaterasu's Messenger had spoken to the other samurai. In an instant, she saw the ronin's entire past.

"I am sorry for everything you've been through, Ran," she whispered, her voice breaking, "But you must always remember this: you are a samurai no matter what, and there will always be someone there for you. Even if you can't see them, they will be there." Aya's hand left Ran's shoulder and as Aya went back into the shop, Ran felt cold.

"Gorobei!" came Aya's sudden shout. All six people snapped their heads up, alert, and ran into the shop. Kambei stood there with everyone else behind him.

"No luck today?" Gorobei asked. Kambei shook his head.

"Ayamaro has ordered a city-wide hunt for samurai. Masamune," Kambei said, directing his attention to him, "Is there a way out of Kougakyo?"

A/N: Sorry for the delayed chapter update. I am now almost fully healed from my injury, but I've had a serious load of homework and tests this week. Also, sorry that I messed up the script from the series. I haven't watched the episodes lately, so I need to brush up on that. Chapters are going to go much faster, as I realized the story is rather slow right now. Still, I hoped you enjoyed the new chapter though!


	9. Hope and the Start of Something

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. I only own Aya and her family. Neither do I own "When You Believe", "The Prince of Egypt", or any Disney material in any way or form.

* * *

Chapter dedicated to Kathleen, who I admire even though I am younger than she.

* * *

Two days later, Aya and the samurai arrived at the Firefly House. Ran had left the group just before Masamune helped the samurai and farmers escape via the elevator train nearby, saying that she would rather find the two cold-blooded men who had destroyed her home and people. Heihachi had looked downhearted as she said her goodbyes, but he let her go. Upon arriving at the brightly lit establishment, the judgmental tomboy was ready for something that wasn't to her liking. Quite the contrary occurred. A beautiful young woman with a delicate face led the group to a large party room with a blond man whose hair went in three directions. Aya looked skeptically at him, but her gaze was broken when Kambei spoke. 

"I'd like you to meet my old mate, Shichiroji." He gestured to his left. Aya directed her gaze to him and he nodded in her direction. She returned the nod. Katsushiro, however, accidentally mistook the young lady beside Shichiroji as the one Kambei spoke of.

"Lady Shichiroji?" he questioned shyly, blushing as he gazed at her. Kambei cleared his throat loudly.

"Katsushiro, this guy." Katsushiro looked at Shichiroji and mumbled an apology, his eyes downcast. More polite conversation was made, but when the disturbing topic of the Shikimoribito was touched upon, the young courtesan named Yukino interrupted.

"That's enough scary talk for now." She clapped her hands and a shoji slid open, revealing a long line of employees bearing trays of food.

"I want you all to have a taste of the Firefly House experience!" Yukino said smiling. Aya raised her eyebrows as the women bowed and stepped into the room. Heihachi, who sat next to her, noticed the slight gesture.

"You're not used to this, are you?" he asked, looking at Aya and eyeing the food at the same time.

"No, I'm not. But then again, neither are you," she replied. Heihachi shook his head and thanked the woman who brought food for him. Aya looked at Akio, who was sitting on the other side of Kirara. He was eating slowly, and Aya caught him stealing sidelong glances at Kirara.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Aya thought as Kirara passed a bowl of food to a slightly blushing Akio. Kai, on the other hand, had talked up a storm with both Komachi and Rikichi, telling them bits and details about the child's home. Although the dinner was a lively affair, Aya couldn't help but feel very melancholy. She supposed it was just homesickness, but, then again, maybe that wasn't the reason. Suddenly, she stood up and bowed inYukino's direction as everyone looked at her.

"Lady Yukino… Would you permit my brothers and I to give you all some entertainment for a while?" she asked politely. Yukino looked slightly surprised, but she nodded.

"Will you be needing anything? An instrument perhaps?"

"Do you have two flutes that my brothers could borrow?" Aya asked.

"Yes. Ayame!" Yukino clapped her hands and a young woman with a pretty round face slid open the shoji screen.

"Ayame, could you bring Lady Aya two flutes please?" The girl nodded and soon returned with two bamboo flutes. Ayame offered them to Aya and she took them, carefully cradling each in her hands. Then she looked at Akio and Kai, jerked her head slightly, and they stood up. The kyoudai stood in front of the whole group, Kai and Akio on either side of Aya, sitting down. Aya looked at Yukino, who nodded. She turned to her brothers and whispered. They nodded back to her and then Kai began to play a legato and sad melody. Yet, there was also a ribbon of hope drifting through the music when Akio joined in. Aya began to sing, accompanied by alternations between music and the lower singing voices of her brothers:

"_Many nights we prayed,_

_With no proof anyone could hear._

_In our hearts a hopeful song_

_We barely understood._

_Now we are not afraid,_

_Although we know there's much to fear._

_We were moving mountains_

_Long before we knew we could…_

_There can be miracles _

_When you believe._

_Though hope is frail,_

_It's hard to kill._

_Who knows what miracles_

_You can achieve?_

_When you believe,_

_Somehow you will._

_You will when you believe…_

_In this time of fear,_

_When prayer so often proves in vain,_

_Hope seemed like the summer birds:_

_Too swiftly flown away. _

_Yet, now I'm standing here,_

_My heart so full,_

_I can't explain._

_Seeking faith, and speaking words_

_I never thought I'd say…"_

As she sung, the group of samurai, farmers, and Firefly House members looked on, amazed at the ability of the three children. Not only could Kai and Akio play an exquisite piece of music, but all three could sing like Heavenly Beings. The siblings finished the song, stood up, and bowed. The responding applause was almost more than they could take. As the three resumed their places, they were highly praised. Komachi threw her hands around Kai's neck and hugged him tightly.

"That was a great song, Kai! But maybe you could make it less sad at the beginning…" she said. Rikichi looked at Aya, his eyes beseeching her.

"Lady Aya, where did you learn to sing like that? Where did you learn that song?" he asked. Aya smiled a sweet smile at him.

"I'm in a singing group back home. The song came from a movie I watched when I was much younger."

"I was just asking… because it gave me so much hope that our village will be saved by the samurai…" he trailed off.

"The song gave me hope too," Kirara said from Aya's right. Akio's face was tinged slightly more than pastel pink.

"It's supposed to make you feel that way," Aya said, pushing a lock of hair out of her eyes, "I… I sing that whenever I need to be reminded that there's always hope for the future. Don't look at me like that. We all feel hopeless at some time or another!" she said, blushing under everyone's gaze.

"That was, indeed, a wonderful song. Lady Aya, Kai, Akio. Thank you for the entertainment," Kambei said.

"All right. I think the young ones should go to sleep now. We all have a big day tomorrow," Shichiroji suggested. Kambei nodded, smiling as he ignored the childish protests from Kai, Akio, and Komachi. Aya stifled a yawn as she stood up again.

"I'm game." Kambei looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"It's an expression," she said, already heading toward Akio and Kai. Once the remnants of dinner had been cleared and futons dragged out, everyone but Yukino, Kirara, Kambei, and Shichiroji bedded down for the night. Aya dragged her futon to the corner of the room and Heihachi followed her.

"Why are you following me now? Just asking," she added hastily. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Heihachi stiffen ever so slightly.

"I-I just wanted to say that I really liked your singing," he said quickly. Aya stopped what she was doing and turned around, smiling.

"I'm glad you liked it-" her voice broke off when she realized how close Heihachi was to her. Her eyes went wide and she stepped back as Heihachi leaned toward her slightly. His brown eyes were locked on hers and in the moonlight that flooded through an open screen his eyes sparkled.

"Whoa…" a voice squeaked in Aya's head.

"Hey, Heihachi!" a young voice broke the tension between the two, causing them both to step away from each other and blush as they looked at the one who'd spoken.

"Do you like Aya?" Komachi asked bluntly. The both of them started, looked at each other, and then looked away.

" You shouldn't be meddling in the affairs of your elders, little one," Gorobei said, tapping Komachi's head. "Although, you have sparked my curiosity…"

"Ai! No! Nothing's going on between us, okay?" Aya said looking at the floor, her face really hot now. Everyone in the room, Rikichi, Katsushiro, Komachi, and Gorobei were looking at Heihachi and Aya.

"Let's just go to bed. Sheesh…" Aya said, lying down and throwing the covers over her head.

" 'Night," she muttered. Katsushiro stared at her still form and caught himself blushing. He rolled over, so he faced away from her and closed his eyes. Soon he heard the others go to bed.

"I wonder what they're thinking right now," he thought. Heihachi was thinking the same thing about Aya. He was lying in a bed right next to her, his heart pounding.

"That was so… weird… what the hell happened to me? It's like I lost control of my body even though my mind told me to stop. I don't even know her that well…" he yawned and turned to face her back.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her. If she heard him, Aya didn't show it, so Heihachi merely closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: I apologize for the long delay between chapters. My computer has been down for two weeks but it's up and running again. This is also the first hint at a pairing, but what I have in mind is rather drastic. Kudos to those who could figure out how the song goes.  



	10. WannaBe Pretty Boy

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. I only own Aya and her siblings.

**Written with the assumption the reader has already seen all (if not the majority) of the series.**

* * *

**Chapter dedicated to Jessica C, Michelle D, Joe, and Sensei Chad.**

* * *

"What the hell happened?!" Aya asked herself after lying in bed for about an hour. "Why did he suddenly come so close to me like he was gonna kiss me?!"

She glanced over her shoulder at the others sleeping in the room and sighed with relief. As quietly as she could, she crept out of the room with its sleeping occupants and slid open the shoji to step outside. Aya leaned on the rail of the wooden veranda, gazing at the silver moon. She could hear Kambei and Shichiroji around the corner quietly discussing about what could happen should the samurai go into battle. Suddenly, she heard Kambei's right-hand man strum a shamisen and sing softly:

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_I once cut down_

_Bandits from all three thousand lands._

_Cut them down and got cut down,_

_But still, but still I stand._

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_  
_

For some reason, upon hearing the aide, Aya felt compelled to reply:

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

_O, once-fallen warrior,_

_You say you still stand._

_Tell me: Is it true that warriors yearn_

_For the battlefield later on?_

x-x-x-x-x_-_x-x-x-x-x

"Not a very good reply," Aya thought, wrinkling her nose. Never the less, the voices ceased while waiting for her to say more.

"You may join us if you wish, Lady Aya," Kambei said. Aya nodded to the samurai and was just about to kneel beside them when Yukino came rushing down the hall, followed closely by Kirara.

"The hunters are outside!" Yukino cried out. Suddenly, everyone was pulled into a flurry of wide-awake alertness.

"Impossible!" Gorobei exclaimed. "How did they know we were here?!" Aya turned around and ran into the room where everyone was asleep except for Heihachi.

"I'm sure no one saw us come in here…" he said, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

"That's just the way war is. Get everyone else up!" Kambei commanded urgently.

"I'm already on it!" Heihachi and Aya said. Aya set to roughly shaking Katsushiro and Heihachi already had Kai and Akio up and ready.

"Mmm… Wh- Waugh! What's wrong?" the young blue-eyed samurai asked, nearly banging his forehead against Aya's in his hurry to sit up.

"Maro's here. Help me," she said, already shaking Rikichi. The group heard a commotion from across the simple garden and the shoji screens were slid open to reveal Kikuchiyo running towards them.

"Crap," Aya muttered, snatching up Komachi who was crying "Kiku! Kiku!" Kikuchiyo fell through the half-open screen doors and was soon followed by Ukyo, Tessai, Kyuzo and other henchmen.

"Kirara! Oh, I found you!" Ukyo cried with delight. "Hmm?" he looked over the samurai and villagers before him and stared at Aya.

"And who is this beautiful blossom? I want her too. Come girls, I shall take you away from this wretched place and give you a home in paradise," he said, spreading his arms wide and smiling a smile that would make many a weak-willed girl swoon. Aya gently set Komachi down and glared at Ukyo, who stepped back at her icy gaze. Kai and Akio shivered. They knew that look in her eyes. Indeed, Aya's voice was dripping with malice and hostility when she spoke.

"You think you can steal girls from where they belong? From the only life they've known? What kind of man would do that to a girl?! I made a vow to myself long ago never to be taken in by a wanna-be pretty boy like you, blue-locks! And I'm sure Kirara doesn't want to go with you either," Aya said, walking through the samurai until she was only five feet from Ukyo. She began to laugh quietly to herself. Tessai and Ukyo looked at each other, whilst Kyuzo merely studied Aya under his cold gaze. Was his vision playing tricks on him, or did this girl actually have a faint silhouette of black, feathered wings protruding from her shoulder blades? He nearly recoiled at the enormous wave of ki she emanated as she shouted,

"NO ONE DECIDES WHO WE ARE BUT US AND THERE'S NO WAY KIRARA OR I WOULD EVER GO WITH YOU! " That said, she stepped back into the huddled group behind her and Shichiroji swiftly raised the floor of tatami mats around them.

"Nicely said, Aya," Shichiroji said as he helped Kirara and Komachi down from the hidden stone hatch and onto the earthen path below. Aya held the little boat floating on the canal steady as everyone climbed aboard. Yukino stood on the stone steps nearby, trying not to show her sorrow as Shichiroji stepped into the boat after Aya.

"I knew you weren't through being a samurai," she said, attempting to sound slightly cheerful, though she was failing at it.

"I'm sorry. I pray this doesn't hurt the Firefly House much," the aide responded. Yukino pressed her lips together, trying to hold back tears.

"I can handle it. Don't forget this." She handed him a red, metal staff that Aya assumed to be a naginata like her own. Shichiroji and Yukino stared a long moment at each other, as if every second they silently exchanged all the thoughts and feelings they had for the other. At last, he looked away, and shoved the little boat away from the makeshift dock. Looking back from where she sat with Heihachi, Kai, and Akio, Aya saw Yukino begin to cry.

"I hope… I hope you die!" she said, her tears overflowing her eyes. Aya bit her lip and looked away. She vaguely heard Kirara say something that Momotaro always comes back with treasure in the end.

"Sister… don't cry…" came Kai's worried voice. Akio said nothing, but wrapped his arms around his sister's shoulders, as Kai hugged her as well. Kambei looked back and sighed.

"I'm sorry Shichiroji," he said. The aide shrugged.

"It was a good dream, but we all have to wake up sometime, right?"

"Yukino will be lonely for a time, but in about a year's time, I see she will be happy again." Everyone turned to stare at Kirara who was looking into the water. She looked directly at Shichiroji, but said nothing. Suddenly, Heihachi cried out.

"They're coming!"

* * *

**A/N:** I'm not dead yet. I realize this story is kind of drawn out, but I want to go slower with my relationship pairings here. I will try to speed up the storyline while slow down and fill out the relationships between my characters. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! I really appreciate you hanging on here!

NLBS


	11. When You Protect Those You Love

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. I only own Aya and her family.

* * *

**Chapter dedicated to Eric, my best boy choir buddy.**

* * *

"They're coming!" Heihachi cried. Everyone in the boat looked back. Indeed, a motorboat was coming after the small group and who else was at the bow but Ukyo himself.

"Don't let them escape!" they heard Ukyo shout. "I want both of my flowers unharmed!"

Aya felt a sharp bolt of pain pierce her heart, something that made her recoil and clutch at her heart, trembling.

"Aya! Aya, are you okay?" Heihachi asked, concerned for the young naginata girl. Suddenly, her trembling stopped, and she fell against the mechanic, panting. Her eyes were closed, and she was in a cold sweat. Heihachi held her limp form in his arms and glared back at Ukyo's boat.

"Aya! Sister!" Kai and Akio cried, kneeling beside her. Akio looked at the fast-approaching motorboat, his sister, then back at the motorboat, pure hatred in his eyes.

"HOW DARE YOU HURT MY SISTER!" he cried, a bright red glow radiating from his Fire Crystal and his right hand. "GO TO HELL!" With that, Akio put his palms together. When he drew them apart, a long line of flames spread across the width of the canal, with no visible fuel to keep the fire burning.

* * *

Ukyo saw a young boy dressed in black clap his hands together. Just as the future merchant raised his eye brows, an enormous line of fire spread across the canal. 

"Stop the boat!" Tessai cried. The other men in the boat hurried to comply; they didn't want to be burnt to a crisp by a weird kid's realistic magic.

"No! I want my Kirara and that other beautiful blossom!" Ukyo pouted, taking a loaded crossbow from one of his attendants.

"Young Master, no!" Tessai tried to keep the stubborn blue-haired boy from shooting the crossbow, but it was too late. The steel harpoon-like lance was already whistling through the air towards the samurai group. Tessai jerked the crossbow out of Ukyo's hands and set to giving him a smart lecture about why he should not have done that. For their part, the other attendants quietly turned the boat around, heading back home.

* * *

Kai heard a shout, a trigger pulled, and then something swishing through the air. For some instinctive reason, he leaped up beside his brother. 

"Kai! What do you think you're doing?" Kirara and Gorobei cried at the same time. The young Wind boy didn't hear them. He cupped his hands around his mouth, took a deep breath, and blew. A small gale was formed because of his actions, but it deflected the crossbow lance that Kai had heard. The samurai stared wide-eyed at the brothers, then quickly glanced up at the roof of the underground cavern they just entered. The samurai warily watched the Shikimoribito hanging like bats from the ceiling. The Guardians just stared back, watching the little group with something that could have been akin to interest if their faces could be seen.

"Metal City should be just around the corner," Shichiroji muttered to Kambei quietly.

"Mmmm…" Kambei replied, watching Kai and Akio as they knelt back down beside their sister, who was still unconscious in Heihachi's arms. Just as Metal City came into view, Katsushiro was staring in marvel at the two brothers who had just saved their lives. But as a sudden thought occurred to him, the light in his blue eyes faded, and his face donned a look of defeat.

"They acted so quickly, without a second thought… And they're younger than me! Why can't I be like that? Be like… a samurai?" he thought. Kirara glanced at the youngest samurai; her face was full of worry, but she said and thought nothing. She turned her gaze toward Akio, briefly admiring his stoic behavior, and at the same time, his love and compassion for his beloveds. Komachi, for her part, gawked, wide-eyed, at Kai. She crawled away from her sister, sat next to Kai and threw her arms around him.

"Thank you for saving us! I was so scared!" she said, clutching onto him like there was no tomorrow. For a few minutes, Kai's attention was diverted away from Aya as he comforted the water priestess' younger sister. Suddenly, the boat jerked to one side, nearly pitching everyone into the water. Heihachi grasped onto the side of the boat, trying to keep his hold on Aya as he watched a blue-and-red-clad form wade through the water towards land.

"Rice… Look at all the rice…!" Rikichi said in disbelief, already on land.

* * *

**A/N**: So. I hoped you enjoyed this latest installment of Crossing Dimensions. I apologize for the long waits between recent chapters. I have serious writer's block but since I am on Winter Vacation, I shall try my hardest to come up with more chapters faster. Thanks for reading! 

NLBS


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